final interview with Sunovion-Aptiom...

I've heard positive, and obviously read the negative a little bit on Cafepharma..... I'm about to have my final interview with Sunovion representing aptiom for epilepsy.
I heard there was a (to put it lightly) rocky launch with this drug, but now it is in a upwards direction. Please, I need honest feedback. I'm coming from the epilepsy industry, not pharma- I'm from medical device, but want to stay in the niche epilepsy arena. How is the overal culture of the company? Ethics? stablitly? Upward mobility??

 

And you are coming on cafepharma for something positive? If you have been in the industry for a while, you know there is NEVER anything positive here.

 

Place is in a downward spiral. No way the math adds up to justify current level of commercial support for the drug. Downsizing inevitable. If you want to join a company where morale sucks, you sell useless "me too" drugs that nobody wants, and where you're basically waiting for your pink slip, this is your company!

 

Unbiased view here. If you NEED the job take it. If you even remotely like where you are, stay. Aptiom is an embarrassment. Low volume, low profit, impossible to sell drug. You will have a huge territory. Overnights are a must.

 

You are 6 years too late joining this company. Unless you need a job, steer clear!

 

Too many options to choose from. Aptiom might be somewhere in 10th slot to choose from. I wouldn't wish this crap on my worst enemy.

 

Come on pal, stop BSing on here. Nobody gonna go from medical device to selling craption unless your world just turned upside down on you. Geeeez where do this misfits come from posting BS on here.

 

I've only read medical device threads- and sorry buddy, we can and are at times positive on here

 

run, run fast, run far

management here is a bunch of UCB rejects who could not find a job elsewhere, and got booted from UCB after one of the most unsuccessful new product launches of any product anywhere - Keppra XR - reps were supposed to do 50 RX a week and WHOLE DISTRICTS were doing about 12-15 RX a week, sad news is that it is even worse here. They sucked as managers at UCB and are under more pressure for non-performance here. If you want to work for a bunch of untalented, tight-ass, Type A, micro-managers, who are reports driven, ride a long assholes be my guest. You might last 6 months.

R U N

 

The national sales director will love "riding" with you

if you know what I mean

 

Yes he will. He's great

 

All aboard choo chooooo now clean the brown mess that's all over your nose Bahawalpur

 

Brad Sippy is a moron and ruined the slim chance this drug had at launch (and I emphasize slim). Next in line is Woody Allen aka Brad Gerow who is just plain dumb.

2 morons + 1 shitty drug=Aptiom going down the toilet

How does a loser like Brad Sippy even keep make a paycheck in this industry? Ask around, he has never done anything other than manager the end of Lunesta. What a parasite.

 

#1 reason reps leave pharma jobs is due to mgmt and right now there are lots of reps leaving neuro division. Hmmmmmmmm

 

To the OP, just read through a few of these comments and you will get a quick answer of how it is to work here. Safe bet is to only accept a spot here if you are unemployed and need a job. Most of the reps here came to work here cause they were laid off.

 

So has this led to all the recent turnover both in home office and in the field? The CNS marketing director position has been vacant for awhile.

 

The culture here is not one of building upon people's strengths. It is one of identifying what areas need improvement and telling the person it needs to be improved or else they will be on a plan leading to termination. I have never witnessed anything like that in my 20+ years in the pharmaceutical industry. Notice many people ranked at the top of the sales leader board have left. Maximize performance and leave while at the top. If pay raises and awards trips don't retain people, it is a clear indication of a serious problem within the sales culture.

 

Unless you have no other employment options, I would steer clear of this place. Some of the worst leadership in Pharma can be found here.

 

Sheeeeat, final interview? I would not do a damn phone screen with this misfit company.

 

Here's the most honest answer I can give you. First, I think you will be safe here through 1Q017. I've heard we have more to lose in damages we would have to pay the manufacturer (Bail) that we licensed the drug from in penalties for not adequately promoting the drug for a certain amount of time than the money we are currently losing promoting it at this level. I really appears that we are not covering even our fixed costs with the Rx's we are getting. My territory is middle of the road for volume and share and I can tell you the gross sales don't cover my base. That said, I believe there will be a major downsizing by 1Q17. There is just no way the numbers can add up to keep all of us. We have to be losing tons and tons of money on this product and it is the only product we have in our bag.

Many have given up even trying to sell this product. Even the newer ones that have come on board in the last few months to fill the spots where so many have quit. Metric based and just going through the motions until the inevitable happens. The sales quota's are a total mess too. That's what drove most of the people who were actually doing respectable (comparatively) to quit. The quota system here could be a completely separate thread as it is so screwed up they way goals are set. It's actually comical.